You’ve seen the highlights. You’ve seen the ranking. Michigan is sitting pretty in the top 10, and yet, if you ask Dusty May who his best five are, he’d probably give you a different answer than he did two weeks ago. Honestly, that’s the beauty of this roster. It's deep. It's versatile. It's also a bit of a jigsaw puzzle that hasn't quite snapped into place yet.
The michigan basketball starting lineup has been anything but static this season. We’ve seen three different variations in the first handful of games alone. While some fans might find that instability worrying, it’s actually a calculated move. May is a tinkerer. He’s looking for the right blend of "savant" passing, elite rim protection, and—most importantly—perimeter shooting that doesn't disappear when the Big Ten schedule gets Gritty.
The Staples: Who Is Locked In?
There are a few names you can pretty much write in pen. Elliot Cadeau is the engine. Period. The North Carolina transfer brought exactly what this team lacked: a pure facilitator. He’s a passing savant. He’s also averaging north of six assists, though the turnovers can still make you hold your breath.
Then there’s Nimari Burnett. The veteran. The "old man" on campus. He’s in his sixth year of college ball, and his 40% clip from deep is the oxygen this offense breathes. Without him on the floor, the spacing gets claustrophobic.
Yaxel Lendeborg is the third lock. Let’s be real, he’s probably the best player in the Big Ten right now. When he decided to forgo the NBA and come to Ann Arbor from UAB, the ceiling for this team changed. He’s a walking double-double who can defend literally every position. If Michigan makes a deep run in March, it’s because Lendeborg is playing like an All-American.
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The Frontcourt Identity Crisis
This is where it gets interesting. Early on, May went big. Really big. He started Aday Mara, the 7'3" Spanish tower, alongside Morez Johnson Jr., the sophomore leap-year talent from Illinois.
It worked. Sorta.
Johnson is a "severe lob threat." He plays like a young Jalen Duren, hunting offensive rebounds and swatting everything in sight. But the spacing? It was tight. Defenses started sagging off, dare I say, disrespecting the jump shots.
By the Middle Tennessee game, May pivoted. He brought Mara off the bench and inserted Will Tschetter. The move was purely about "gravity." Tschetter can hit the triple, and that simple threat opened up lanes for Cadeau to slice into the paint. Mara coming off the bench feels like a cheat code anyway. Imagine being a backup center and seeing a 7'3" skilled passer checking in for the second unit. Total nightmare.
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The Roddy Gayle Jr. Situation
What most people get wrong about the michigan basketball starting lineup is the Roddy Gayle Jr. "demotion." He started the first two games and then moved to the bench.
Is he playing worse? No.
He’s actually playing a vital "microwave" role. Gayle is a big guard who can score at the rim, but his outside shot remains a bit streaky. By bringing him off the bench, May ensures that the scoring doesn't plummet when the starters sit. He’s still getting nearly 20 minutes a game. In the modern game, who starts matters way less than who finishes, and Gayle is usually out there when the game is on the line.
Why the Rotation Is Still Fluid
The roster is talented, but the chemistry is a work in progress. You've got ten guys who could start on most teams in the country, but only eight quality rotation slots available in a tight game.
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- Trey McKenney and Winters Grady are the freshmen to watch. McKenney has that Flint toughness and a body that’s already college-ready.
- L.J. Cason is the "breakout" pick by many insiders. He has that downhill creation ability that is hard to teach.
- The lack of a true backup point guard for Cadeau is the elephant in the room. If Cadeau gets into foul trouble, things can get messy fast.
Looking Ahead: The Final Form
Don't expect the lineup you see today to be the one you see in the Big Ten Tournament. Dusty May is going to keep experimenting. He’s searching for that perfect lineup that can switch everything on defense but also provide enough shooting to keep teams from doubling Lendeborg in the post.
Right now, the "Best Five" seems to be Cadeau, Burnett, Gayle, Lendeborg, and Johnson Jr., but the "Starting Five" will likely continue to involve Tschetter or Mara depending on the matchup. If they're playing a team with a traditional back-to-the-basket center, Mara gets the nod. If they're playing a small-ball team that runs, expect more of the "five-out" looks with Tschetter.
The Actionable Insight for Fans: Keep an eye on the first four minutes of the second half. That is where Dusty May is showing his cards. He often starts the game with a "safe" lineup but uses the second-half start to deploy the group he actually trusts to win the game. If you’re betting on Michigan or just tracking them for your bracket, watch the L.J. Cason minutes. If he becomes a reliable second ball-handler, Michigan isn't just a Big Ten favorite—they're a Final Four lock.
Check the injury reports specifically for the bench depth. With players like Charlie May sidelined, the margin for error in the backcourt is thinner than you'd think for a top-10 team. Monitor the 3-point shooting percentages of Gayle and Cadeau; if those numbers creep up even 5%, the offense becomes literally unguardable.
Watch the upcoming road stretch against the Pacific Northwest teams like Washington and Oregon. These games will be the ultimate test of whether the current michigan basketball starting lineup can handle hostile environments or if May will be forced to lean more on his veterans like Burnett and Lendeborg to steady the ship.